Spotlight



SPOTLIGHT Filed Aug. 6, 1938' FIP/rz #51.1.

IN VINTI Y Patented June 10, 1941 SPGTLIGHT Fritz Hell, Vienna, GermanyApplication August 6, 1938, Serial No. 223,422 In Austria August 16,1937 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in spot-lights of the type inwhich the casing is adapted to be directly secured to the inside of thewind-screen, and of which the reflector' together with the lamp properis mounted on the casing in such a manner as to be capable of beingswivelled after the fashion of a ball-joint. An arrangement of this typeprovides a swivelling range of about 60. In contrast thereto, theimprovement according to the present invention enables the beam of lightto be swivelled through as much as 120 in all directions, by virtue ofthe fact that the casing is disposed with its middle axis inclined tothe surface of the windscreen and so mounted on the wind-screen that itis rotatable about an axis at right angles to the Wind-screen. Inaccordance with the invention the spotlight may, further, with advantagebe attached to the wind-screen by providing the casing at the sidedestined to be nearest to the wind-screen with a flange which isdisposed obliquely with regard to the middle axis of the casing, andwhich is rotatably mounted, by means of a tongue and groove joint, on anannular holder member adapted to be directly attached, by adheringmeans, to the glass of the wind-screen. This annular holder member mayitself conveniently be made in the form of a pneumatic adhering deviceof the type of the known suction cups made of rubber.

A form of construction embodying ithe invention is shown, by way ofexample, in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a diagrammaticvertical section (partly in elevation) of a spotlight according `to theinvention attached to a wind-screen.

Fig. 2 is a similar sectional View of the same spotlight swivelled tothe maximum extent in the opposite direction.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line III--III in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a radial section taken through the attaching means.

Fig. 5 is a similar section of the same parts in a dlierent operativeposition.

Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a portion of the attaching means asseen from the direction of the arrow VI in Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, on the inner side of the wind-screen glass Ithere is attached the spotlight casing 3 which terminates in a flange 2,and on which the lamp and reflector may be swivelled through about 60 inall directions, in the manner of a ball-joint, with the aid of a handle6 on which there is provided a switch I6. The flange 2 engages in anannular groove Il in a holder ring I8 (shown diagrammatically) so thatthe entire fitting may be rotated, with the aid of a, knob I9, about anaxis A at right angles to the wind-screen I. Since the plane oi theflange 2 is inclined to the middle axis B oi the casing 3 the casingintersects this plane in an ellipse. The ange 2 is therefore in theshape of an ellipse inside and circular outside so that it may berotated in the annular groove I'i. When the casing is rotated about theaxis A the alxis B describes a cone of which the angle at the apex istwice the angle x. Since by swivelling the reflector casing 6 a tiltingof the middle axis C of the beam of light emitted by the lamp throughtwice the angle y is effected it follows that the total swivelling rangeamounts to 2 plus y) Figs. 1 and 2 show the extreme downwardly tiltedand extreme upwardly tilted position of the beam of light, respectively.If these sections be assumed to be taken through the wind-screen in ahorizontal direction it will be understood how wide the side to sidesweep oi the spotlight according to the invention is.

Figs. 4 to 6 show, by way of example, a form of attaching means.according to the invention. The casing 3 extends with its end flange 2into an annular member Il of U-shaped or channelled cross-section. Intothis annular member there also extends a flange I9 pertaining to aproled sheet metal ring 20. The annular member I1 is provided with a gapas at 2l (Fig. 6) the two ends being joined together at this point by anadjustable spring 22 or other resilient and/or adjustable element. Thistype of joint enables the annular member I'I to be pressed against theflanges 2 and I9 with just enough force to allow the required rotationto be readily effected while providing su'cient friction to retain thespot-light in any position Lto which it may be adjusted.

At the other edge of the sheet metal ring 20 there is tted a rubber ring23 consisting of a rim portion 24 which is conical in the non-stressedstate (shown in chain-dotted lines in Fig. 4) and of a part 25 ofU-shaped cross section. In the latter there is fitted, in such a manneras to form an airtight joint, a sheet of glass 26 which iills out thearea enclosed by the ring. Fitted to the outside of the sheet metal ring20 are two further metal rings 28 and 29 which are rotatable relativelyto each other and at the same time axially adjustable. To this end thering 28 is provided with evenly spaced outwardly extending teeth 30, andthe ring 29 with the same number of S- shaped cam-surfaces 3! ofinitially steep and subsequently almost imperceptible pitch which areadapted to co-act with the teeth 319, and which merge into each other bysteps 32, so as to produce a ratchet-wheel effect. Each of these tworings is provided with two actuating knobs 33 (only one shown) disposedopposite each other.

The holder ring is attached to the glass screen I yby rst .pressing thedescribed assembly against the screen (Fig. 4). When released, the glass.plate 2S is lifted clear of the screen bythe inherent elasticity of therubber ring 23, and the resulting partial vacuum between the plates land 26 causes the assembly to adhere to the former. The two rings 28 and29 are then rotated relatively to each other, with the aid ci the knobs33, so that the teeth Sil engage the inclined surfaces 3i (Figs. 5 `and6). During this rotary movement the ring 23 is supported against the rim24 of the rubber ring 23, while the ring 29 forces the sheet metal ring2G, the portion 25 of the rubber ring 23, and the'plate 2t away from thescreen l. In this 4manner the space between the plates l and 25, andconsequently also the vacuum prevailing therein, is increased, andexperience shows that the lange 2li becomes so iirmly pressed, by thepressure of the outside atmosphere, lagainst the screen l that a hundredtimes the weight of the fitting may be suspended therefrom without theleast danger of its becoming dislodged.

The described attaching means may also be employed for securing `a greatVariety of other articles to glass plates or panes.

Iclaim:

1. An inside windshield spotlight and support therefor, comprising aring of elastic material including a wall portion adapted to rest withone face thereof against the windshield, a transparent plate airtightlysecured to said elastic ring along a peripheral line spaced inwardlyfrom the outer periphery of said wall portion, said plate forming withsaid elastic ring a transparent suction cup, `a holder ring associatedwith and surrounding said transparent plate, said holder ring having atits edge remote from said wall portion of the elastic ring an outwardlyiprojectingiiange overh'anging said wall portion, a spotlight casinghaving a reiiector connected to said holder ring, and means operablebetween said wall portion of said elastic ring and said outwardlyprojecting flange of said holder ring for spreading the latter 4and saidtransparent plate away from said wall portion of the elastic ring toincrease the vacuum in the space between the `windshield and saidtransparent plate, said spreading means including at least one annularelement rotatable relative to said wall portion oi the elastic ring.

2. An inside windshield spotlight and support therefor comprising aresilient vacuum ring of double-loop cross-section having one walladapted to rest against a windshield, a holder ring having a flangesupported in the channel of one of said loops, a transparent plate beingsupported in the other loop of said vacuum ring, a spotlight casinghaving a relector rotatably connected to said holder ring, and meansoperable between the wall of said Vacuum ring and the holder ring forpressing said wall `and holder ring with the transparent plate inopposite directions to increase the vacuum in the space between thewindshield `and plate.

3. An inside windshield spotlight and support therefor comprising aresilient vacuum ring of double-loop cross-section having one walladapted to rest against a windshield, a holder ring having 1an inwardlyextending flange on one side supported in the channel of one of saidloops, a transparent plate being supported in the other loop of saidvacuum ring, said holder ring having an outwardly extending flange atits free end, a spotlight casing having a reflector with a iiangethereon disposed adjacent to said outwardly extending flange, aninverted U-shaped securing ring straddling said adjacent anges andsupporting said casing in said holder ring,

means operable between the wall of said vacuurn ring and said holderring for pressing said wall and holder ring with the transparent platein opposite directions to increase the vacuum in the space between thewindshield and plate.

4. An inside windshield spotlight 4and support therefor `comprising aresilient vacuum ring of double-loop cross-section having one walladapted to rest against a windshield, ya holder ring having a Rangesupported in the channel of one of said loops, a transparent platesupported in the other loop of said vacuum ring, a spotlight'casinghaving a reiiector rotatably connected to said holder ring, andcam meansoperable .between the Wall of said vacuum ring and holder ring forpressing said wall and holder ring with the transparent plate inopposite directions to increase the vacuum in the space between thewindshield and plate.

5. An inside windshield spotlight and support.

therefor comprising `a resilient vacuum ring of double-loopcross-section having one wall adapted to rest against a windshield, aholder ring having a flange supported in the channel of one of saidloops, a transparent plate being supported. in the other loop of saidvacuum ring, a spotlight casing having a reiiector rotatably connectedto said holder ring, `and a pair of rings rotatable Vwith respect to oneanother seated on said holder ring and operable, when rotated withrespect to one another, to press said vacuum ring wall and said holderring with the transparent plate in opposite directions to increase theVacuum in the space between the windshield and plate.

6. An inside windshield spotlight and support therefor comprising aresilient vacuum ring of double loopcross-section having one walladapted to rest against a windshield, va holder ring having a flangesupported in the channel of one of said loops, a transparent plate beingsupported in the other loop of said vacuum ring, a spotlight casinghaving a reflector rotatably connected to said holder ring, and a pair'of annular rings seated on a portion of said holder and between saidholder land said wall of said vacuum ring, one of said annular ringshaving at least one lateral projection, the other of said annular ringshaving at least one lateral cam surface cooperating with saidprojection, so that when said annular rings are rotated with respect toone another, said w-all of said vacuum ring and the holder ring withsaid plate are pressed in opposite directions to increase the vacuum inthe space between the windshield and plate.

FRITZ HELL.

